Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1968

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Forestry

Major Professor

Eyvind Thor

Committee Members

H. R. DeSelm, Edward R. Buckner

Abstract

The study was conducted on Big Ridge Natural Study Area in theGreat Valley of East Tennessee. Fifth acre plots were established in1936 forming strips of one-by-two chain plots across the steep ridge.Site, soil, and vegetation data were recorded on these plots, and compared to vegetation data from 1936. The data indicates that vegetation was significantly affected by openings in the stand due to logging prior to 1936 and the elimination of chestnut by Endothia parasitica.

Hickory, dogwood, red maple, chestnut oak, and blackgum maintained frequencies close to 100 percent between studies, while black oak, beech,and sugar maple increased in frequency.

Sourwood, hickory, scarlet oak, northern red oak, sassafras, and shortleaf pine declined in density between 1936 and 1967, especially in smaller stems, while red maple, sugar maple, blackgum, and beech showed sharp gains in density, especially in smaller stems. Sourwood, redmaple, blackgum, Virginia pine, shortleaf pine, white oak, and scarlet oak increased in density as sites progressed from moist to dry, while sugar maple, beech, ash, and yellow-poplar showed the opposite relationship.

With the exclusion of chestnut from the data, basal area increased from 74.2 to 92.5 square feet per acre from 1936 to 1967. Black oak,chestnut oak, and hickory increased considerably in basal area between studies, especially on north ridges. Virginia pine doubled its basal area on south ridges.

No clear picture of forest types was indicated from the data,but considerable changes in type were recorded for individual plots between studies. Black oak was the primary type replacing chestnut.

Black oak importance values increased on upper slope positions,but showed a marked decrease below middle slopes. Chestnut oak was also important on upper and middle ridges, while hickory importance was greatest on middle north slopes. Beech importance increased from dry to moist sites.

Merchantable volumes and number of merchantable trees increased significantly over the 31-year period. Greatest volume was exhibited on south ridges, but north ridges had the greatest rate of volume increase.Chestnut oak and black oak increased significantly on all sites, while the greatest hickory volume increase was in hollows.

Canonical analyses indicated that heavy herbaceous ground cover,fine texture of B horizon, and slope directions approaching southwest were related to dry sites. On such sites shortleaf pine, Virginia pine,white oak, sassafras, sourwood, black oak, and scarlet oak, and red maple reproduction were most abundant. Mesic sites were indicated by dense shrub cover, more complete canopy closure, and high stone content of soil, and to a lesser extent, fine-textured, thick A horizons.Beech, ash, and hickory were highly related to these sites.

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